Wow, I can’t believe it’s Thursday already. I had a great plan for my Medial Monday post, and intended to add a few more chapters of Blank Slate for your reading pleasure yesterday, but life got away from me. (I hate it when that happens.)

Instead of blogging, I slept ALL DAY on Monday (the hazzards of working graveyard shift and hardly sleeping on Sunday, I guess), I edited for most of the night (I’m so in love with this story–now if I can just figure out how the last two scenes are supposed go). And I spent very nearly every waking hour on Tuesday and Wednesday preparing for my book launch party, which we held last night. (Anyone need some leftover cookies?) It was a blast and my very awesome crit group members: Nichole Giles, Tristi Pinkston, and Keith Fisher, drove down from Utah County to be there for me–they’re the best. Seriously.

The good news is the miniature golf course we inherited when we purchased a building for our business is now up and running (though it still needs a little paint and a few tweaks), I’ve done enough weeding in the garden that I might actually get those tomato plants in the ground before the first snow, and I have a few hours this afternoon to do laundry and clean the house before EMT training tonight. (Trauma training is always fun and idiot motocross participants aside, we’ve had very little of it lately. It’s been quiet, quiet, quiet–though I probably just jinxed things by mentioning it.)

On a completely different subject: What do you think of Utah’s change in fireworks legislation? This year is the first year regular people will be able to walk into the store (in state) and buy fireworks that fly into the air. I only know this because we run a fireworks stand (which opens on Monday–so I probably need to get next week’s posts written and scheduled now because there will be no rest for the next couple of weeks). These new fireworks shoot 150 feet into the air–which sounds awesome. I can’t wait to see one set off.

Other exciting stuff. I have a new batch of baby chicks arriving right after we close the fireworks stand, in which I have some of these sweethearts ordered.

This is a golden-laced Polish hen, and I just love the big fluff balls on their heads. I’ve got five of the chicks ordered, so hopefully I’ll get a mix of boys and girls. I’m also getting some good laying pullets, since most of my hens got eaten by dogs this winter, and half of the ones that are left are getting old and are unreliable layers. I probably won’t get my first egg from this generation until Thanksgiving–and winter isn’t really prime egg laying time, but next year I’ll be replete with big, yummy eggs.

Also, I have a fun and exciting multi-author book signing set up on August 13th from noon to 4 at Pioneer Book in Orem with Tristi Pinkston, Nichole Giles, Keith Fisher (Dutch oven expert extraordinaire), Jeffery (aka J Scott) Savage, and Cindy Hogan to celebrate Tristi’s next book coming out. It’s going to be a carnival atmosphere and a ton of fun with treats, face painting, balloons, and other awesome stuff. So mark your calendars.

Oh, and tomorrow look for the recipe I developed to go with my latest book, Blank Slate–Adrianna’s favorite orange cardamom cupcakes. They’re seriously yummy and got two thumbs up from my hubby, who isn’t generally a big fan of cake (something I will never understand).